Rock Your Senior Session

ROCK YOUR SENIOR PORTRAIT SESSION

(10 Tips to Help You Prepare for Your Big Day)

©Jen Lebo Photography www.jenlebophotography.com

“You’re off to Great Places! Today is your day! Your mountain is waiting. So... get on

your way!” -Dr. Seuss

This is it! Your Senior Portraits should be a fun and unforgettable experience; an amazing memory to capture your amazing senior year! This workbook is designed to help you plan for the best session possible! But as you plan and prepare, remember one thing. No one knows you better than YOU! You are unique, and that’s what makes you FABULOUS! So prepare to show the world who YOU are! Today is YOUR DAY!


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#1 Decide What to Wear!(Shopping Time!)

Choosing your outfits for your portrait session should be a fun job, not a stressful one! But how can it be when you’ve got so many different people to please? Simple! Bring several outfits! I love it when my seniors bring me duffel bags of clothes, so we can go through them together and choose lots of different looks. So don’t be shy - bring your whole closet if you can’t decide!

Other tips for choosing what to wear:• Browse your favorite fashion magazines and tear out looks that you like. Use them later when you’re choosing your outfits.• Check out Pinterest for great ideas on fashion trends. Check out my senior fashion board at http://pinterest.com/jenlebo/senior-portraits-fashion/ • Keep a checklist of pieces you think you’ll need for the shoot. I’ve created one for you.


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Senior Portrait Check ListWhat to bring to your session:

F 3 outfits (maybe 4) F various shoes for each outfit F jewelry (think size & color) F belts F jackets or sweaters (layers &

textures rock!) F hair accessories and/or hats F purses and handbags F Your great smile!


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#2 Make an Appointment to Have Hair & Make-up Done!

Take the time to have your hair and make-up done professionally on your big day. The benefits are many. First, even if you aren’t a “make-up kind of gal”, having it done professionally will give you a great natural look in your images. Your skin will look flawless while not overdone. These stylists know how to achieve that look for portraits.

Plus, having your hair and make-up done professionally on your big day really takes the experience to a whole new level! Rather than stressing about it yourself, you get to sit back, relax, and get pampered like that star you are that day!

Chances are good that your photographer has a great salon that she can refer you to, like I do with all of my clients. I send my seniors to Gwendolynn’s Salon & Spa, where the stylists are super talented and super wonderful! The entire experience is fabulous!

Sit back, relax, and get pampered like the star you are!


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#3 Location, Location, Location!

This is definitely one of my favorite tips for creating amazing senior portrait sessions! After all, the location can help tell your unique story.

Do you love being outdoors or have a favorite walking trail? Let’s shoot there! Are you a swimmer? Take me to your team pool! Love shopping? Let’s find your favorite strip of boutique shops or hit the outlets!

You can be sure that your photographer will have a whole bunch of great locations to recommend, but personally, I love when my seniors come to me with new ideas, specific places that are special to them. It’s a great way to make your portraits really stand out and reflect YOU!

Some Fun Location Ideas

Rustic: Local parks, horse stables, riversides, homesteads, local farms

Urban: city sidewalks, storefronts, outdoor cafes, alleys, railroad stations

Sporty: local track, high school pool, batting cage, city hoops court, ice rink

Studious: Library stacks, backyard hammock, art studio, porch swing


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#4 Bring Props!

Can I bring my: lacrosse stick, guitar, motorcycle, puppy, etc?

I get asked these questions a lot, and my answer is always yes, yes, yes, and oh please yes! Props are fantastic additions to any senior portrait. From musical instruments to athletic equipment to favorite books or magazines, these pieces help tell the story of who you are. These are fun ways to incorporate your fabulously unique personality into your images.

So be creative and bring some special pieces along. Cheer captain? Bring your pom poms! Love music? Bring your saxaphone or guitar or tuba! New wheels are a great prop, whether we’re talking 2 wheels or 4!

Not only do these pieces help tell your story, they also help solve the problem of what to do with nervous hands!

Best Props MySeniors Ever

BroughtTo Their Session

1. Teen Magazines2. Guitar3. Sketch Book4. Soccer/Football5. Puppy6. Shoe Collection7. Track Shoes/Baton8. Favorite Books9. Little Siblings10. Motorcycle


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#5 Make It a Date!(or a Party!)

What’s the best way to calm any possible nerves about being in front of the camera on your big day? Bring a friend! Friends make everything more fun, more relaxed, and more special, so bring one or two along! Not only can they get you smiling that gorgeous, authentic smile of yours, but they can get you laughing in ways only they know how. Plus they can assist me throughout the session! I’ve asked plenty of friends to hold reflectors, grab gear, or just stand behind me and crack jokes to get the shot I’m looking for!

Your senior portraits are a super special occasion. What better way to make it fabulous than with the special people in your life?

Bring Mom......

• Mom’s usually your #1 fan.• Moms know how to calm nerves.• Special events need Mom.• Mom’s in charge, right?• Portraits with Mom are treasures.• There’s no one like Mom!

...Or Bring Friends?

• Friends know all your inside jokes.• Friends know fashion trends.• Friends bring great clothes!• What a gift to have portraits with BFFs before leaving for college.• Why choose? Bring mom and the

crew!


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#6 Don’t Forget the Music!

I LOVE music! Always have, always will. From the time I was little, I’ve loved everything from Motown to Green Day to Metallica to Beyonce. There are so many amazing musical styles out there. That’s why I encourage my seniors to share their playlists with me. Better yet, bring them with you to our session! Music is a fabulous way to make your portrait session truly rock. Your taste in music says a lot about your unique personality; and, while we won’t be able to hear that music in your images, it can certainly influence how you feel that day, how you pose, your expressions, and, in the end, your portraits. So bring your ipod. Many photographers (like me) will gladly bring a boombox with a dock, but without your music, we might be stuck rockin’ out to the 80’s. Yikes!

Billboard’s Top 5 Songs Today

1. Harlem Shake2. Thrift Shop3. Stay4. Scream & Shout5. I Knew You Were Trouble

Billboard’s Top 5 Songs When I was a HS Senior

1. End of the Road (Boyz II Men)2. Baby Got Back (Sir Mix-a-Lot)3. Jump (Kriss Kross)4. Save the Best for Last (V. Williams)5. Baby-Baby-Baby (TLC)

Which Would You Prefer?

Yeah, I thought so!


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#7 Get Posing Ideas fromEntertainment!

If you’re nervous about whether you’ll know how to strike the right poses for your portrait session, don’t worry. Not only should your photographer be skilled at posing you for the most flattering and stunning images, but you can do some easy prep work beforehand to get familiar with fun and flattering poses.

Look no further than your favorite magazines and movies. Browse through the pages of your favorite fashion magazines and see what poses stand out. What poses appeal most to you? Fun and flirty? Dramatic and serious? When you see something you like, tear it out and keep a file of your favorites. Then bring them to your session.

Keep your creative eyes open no matter what you’re doing. Movies, magazines, music videos, concerts, and more, great images and great poses are everywhere. So take note when something inspires you. Then share it with me!

3 Great Fashion Films to Inspire You!

★ The Devil Wears Prada ★ Annie Hall

★ Breakfast At Tiffany’s


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#8 Think Outside the Box(and Don’t Be Afraid to Ask)!

One of the things I love most about photographing high school seniors is that each one of them is so unique, so special, so one-of-a kind. Each of you is at the start of your own journey and each of you has your own passions, your own fears, your own skills. So I want those unique pieces to come out in your portraits.

That’s where you come in. Don’t be afraid to tell me about your sweet new bike or the gorgeous new sari that your parents had made for you. Don’t worry that you’ve never seen any portraits like what you had in mind. That’s what will make your portraits authentic and genuinely YOU!

I love trying new things and thinking outside the box, so don’t be afraid to get creative and think outside the box!


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#9 Sweat Some of theSmall Stuff!

When it comes to your senior portrait session, sweating some of the small stuff could mean the difference between great images and AMAZING images. Here are a few simple things to take note of as your session draws near:

A Few Days Before Your Session:

F Check your nail polish for any chips and make touch ups. F Clean up the eye brows and do any necessary tweezing. F Check your session outfits and accessories. Make sure

everything is clean and ready to go. F Iron out any wrinkles in your clothing (wrinkles can show!).

Just Before Your Session:

F Remove any hairbands or elastic from wrists. F Check for food in teeth (you never know!). F Make sure bra straps are not sticking out unwanted. F Get rid of the gum.


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#10 Relax and EnjoyEvery Minute!

You’ve got everything you need to have the best senior portrait session ever! You’ve selected the right clothes and the best music, picked out a great location, and thought of every detail, and of course, chosen the right photographer to capture it all!

Now all you need to do is relax and have a blast! Your senior year only comes once, and so do your senior portraits. So have fun, laugh a little, smile a lot, and show the world how amazing and unique you are!

Don’t worry. I’ll get the shot.

Be Awesome. I’ll Get The Shot.


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About

Jen LeboOnce a high school English teacher and field hockey coach, Jen traded in her novels for her Nikon, and now connects with seniors in a much more fun and fabulous way!

Jen lives with her husband and 3 young children on a beautiful boarding school campus, which gives her a sneak peek into the everyday lives of high school students. In fact, she is house mom to a dozen boys in one of the dorms on campus!

Jen loves connecting with her seniors and loves creating amazing portrait experiences for every single one of them. If you want that unique and fabulous experience with your own senior portraits, you need Jen.

Connect with Jen

Website: www.jenlebophotography.com

Search Facebook: Jen Lebo Photography

Twitter: www.twitter.com/jenlebophoto

Search Pinterest: Jen Lebo Photography

Email: [email protected]

“Why fit in when you were born to stand out?

-Dr. Seuss

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Rock Your Senior Session